# Paraview 'reader could not be found' error
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/paraview-reader-could-not-be-found-error/5899
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [November 26, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/paraview-reader-could-not-be-found-error/5899 "2020-11-26T12:07:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mayank\_Jain](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Mayank_Jain)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/paraview-reader-could-not-be-found-error/5899/1 "2020-11-26T12:07:07Z")
I am facing an issue while loading datasets in paraview in Windows environment. It throws up a pop-up window saying ‘reader not found’ as below. I tried working with different dataset formats VTU/VTK/RAW/PVM/EX2, but no luck! Also I tried installing few older versions of paraview, the problem still persists. Is anyone facing similar issue in Windows environment?
---
### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/paraview-reader-could-not-be-found-error/5899/2 "2020-11-26T13:41:44Z")
Which format is your file ? Can you share it ?
---
### Author:  [@Joachim\_P](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Joachim_P)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/paraview-reader-could-not-be-found-error/5899/3 "2020-11-27T00:13:52Z")
If your file has the .vtu extension but ParaView shows this dialog, it means that the VTU reader did not recognize a valid VTU file. Check the content of your file with a text editor. A typical VTU file starts with the following content:
```auto